Chimp sanctuary delivers an ape’s food by drone amid Florida floods

A heavy rainstorm that turned large swathes of central Florida into a temporary floodplain forced the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary to resort to an unconventional method of feeding its residents. For a brief period in the early hours of Tuesday, staff at the Chimp Haven sanctuary in Keith, about 30 miles south of Orlando, dispatched a small quad‑copter drone to drop a ration of fruit and vegetables into the enclosure of a solitary male named “Moby”, whose usual feeding area had been rendered inaccessible by several feet of standing water.The incident, which was captured on the sanctuary’s internal security cameras and later shared with the media, highlights the growing challenges that climate‑related extreme weather events pose to wildlife facilities. While Chimp Haven is accustomed to dealing with hurricanes and occasional tropical storms, the sudden intensity and speed of the flooding this week left staff with a narrow window to act before the animals’ health and welfare could be compromised.Founded in 2016, Chimp Haven houses more than 200 chimpanzees rescued from research labs, entertainment venues and private owners..

The sanctuary’s 200‑acre property is designed to mimic a natural forest environment, with a network of elevated walkways, mud‑free feeding platforms and a system of drainage ponds intended to cope with heavy rainfall. Nevertheless, the storm that arrived on Monday night dumped an estimated 8 inches of rain within a 12‑hour period, overwhelming the drainage capacity of the lower‑lying sections of the reserve.Moby, a 12‑year‑old male who was rescued from a laboratory in 2014, lives in the “South Compound”, a semi‑open area that includes a large waterhole and several climbing structures. The waterhole is a central feature of the chimpanzee’s daily routine, encouraging natural foraging behaviours..

When the floodwaters rose, the waterhole swelled and the surrounding ground became slick and unsafe, prompting keepers to temporarily close off the area to prevent accidental injuries.“Safety of the animals is our first priority,” said Dr Laura Jensen, the sanctuary’s director of animal care, in a statement released after the incident. “When the water level reached the feeding platform, we could not safely enter the enclosure without risking both staff and chimpanzee wellbeing. We assessed the situation and decided that a drone delivery, while not ideal, was the most humane and efficient solution under the circumstances.”The drone, a commercially available DJI Mavic model, was fitted with a lightweight cargo harness capable of holding up to 1.5 kg of produce..

Staff loaded the drone with a pre‑measured bundle of banana slices, apple wedges, leafy greens and a small portion of protein‑rich pellet, then piloted it from the sanctuary’s operations centre. The quad‑copter hovered over the edge of the enclosure and released the package, which landed on a raised platform that remained above the waterline. Within minutes, keepers observed Moby retrieving the food and beginning to eat.While the successful delivery was praised as an innovative response to an emergency, experts caution that such measures should remain exceptional..

Dr Helen Marshall, a wildlife veterinarian who has consulted for several primate sanctuaries, noted that drone deliveries could pose risks if not carefully managed. “There is a potential for the aircraft to crash, for the payload to be dropped in an unsafe area, or for the animals to become habituated to receiving food in this way, which could alter natural foraging patterns,” she explained.Chimp Haven’s emergency response plan, revised after the 2020 hurricane season, includes protocols for flood mitigation, animal relocation and alternative feeding methods. The plan stipulates that, when traditional feeding routes are blocked, staff may employ remote delivery devices provided that they have been tested for safety and that the animals have been conditioned to accept food from such devices..

In the weeks leading up to the storm, keepers had conducted a series of low‑altitude drone trials with a small group of chimpanzees, allowing the animals to become familiar with the sound and sight of the aircraft without any actual feeding involved.The sanctuary’s use of drone technology is part of a broader trend in wildlife management, where unmanned aerial vehicles are employed for tasks ranging from anti‑poaching surveillance to the monitoring of remote populations. In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has used drones to track nesting sites of endangered birds, while several zoos have experimented with drone‑delivered enrichment items to stimulate natural behaviours..

However, the application of drones for direct feeding remains relatively rare, especially for large primates with complex dietary needs.Following the flood, the sanctuary’s engineering team worked through the night to clear debris and reinforce the drainage system. By Thursday morning, water levels in the South Compound had receded to a safe depth, allowing keepers to resume normal feeding routines. Moby was observed returning to his usual climbing structures and engaging in social interactions with neighboring females, suggesting that the brief disruption had little lasting impact on his health or behaviour.The incident has sparked discussion among conservation organisations about the need for climate‑resilient infrastructure in animal sanctuaries..

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has announced a review of floodplain mapping for wildlife facilities, aiming to ensure that future developments incorporate sufficient runoff capacity and elevated feeding zones. Meanwhile, Chimp Haven’s leadership plans to invest in additional raised platforms and modular feeding stations that can be quickly assembled in response to rising water.In the meantime, the sanctuary’s staff continue to monitor all residents closely, conducting daily health checks and adjusting enrichment schedules to account for the altered environment. “Our chimpanzees are remarkably adaptable, but they still rely on us to provide a stable and safe habitat,” said Dr Jensen..

“The drone delivery was a reminder that we must remain flexible and ready to adopt new tools when nature presents unforeseen challenges.”The episode underscores how even well‑prepared institutions must sometimes innovate on the spot to safeguard animal welfare. As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather events across the United States, the lessons learned at Chimp Haven could inform emergency protocols for wildlife sanctuaries worldwide, ensuring that the most vulnerable creatures receive consistent care, no matter how high the water rises..